Are there such things as resident-owned RV parks - a campsite to leave your Airstream any time you want. Someplace you buy instead of rent. I don't know if it makes sense to leave something on wheels in one spot all the time, but I'm sure it does for some people. I'm wondering if there are any in Kentucky or Tennessee. Thanks

I full-time, but "half time" in a campground that is member owned. It's not Airstream exclusive... and it doesn't cost what many Airstream only campgrounds charge to buy a membership.

It went through a phase where it became a near slum because so many members stopped paying their maintenance fees. Most had aged out of camping or moved away and couldn't find buyers. Fortunately they hired a strong (mean) manager who threatened to take every member in default into court and foreclose on their deeds. This resulted in a slew of members giving away their deeds to people like me who would take care of the delinquencies. I got a bargain deed, they didn't get a ding on their credit rating due to a judgment. A lot of the early buyers expected a profit and were bitter, but almost any "TimeShare" type of real estate is a gamble.

Don't buy one unless you're willing to take a "dead loss." I've been a member 9 years now, and my initial investment was $1200 - 10% of what the original investors paid. Annual maintenance costs are still less than $1600 - so it's dead cheap camping, especially for a high cost resort area. When I'm done, I'll give it away. (Another disadvantage - I have to leave the campground for one week after spending 4 weeks in residence... It works for me, but not for others.)

If you're considering buying, look for a distress sale (there are MANY), and choose (A) a GREAT location everyone else wants and (B) USE that membership every year for 10 - 20 years. Expect "clean and well maintained but not luxurious" it's not the Hilton!

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Virginia Highland Haven is an example of a very good member owned campground, but there is a generational shift happening there. Many new younger campers would consider buying shares but are still working, so they can't easily take a week or two to be camp hosts, work on maintenance projects, etc. I'm not a member because I'd never spend more than a week there in any given year, but I think they'll come up with something fair and creative (serve, or pay someone else to serve in your place probably).
Virginia Highland Haven is very small - 45 sites or so - and no one lives there full time. The setting is beautiful and it's right off the Blue Ridge Parkway - both of which help it stay popular.

I have seen some private campgrounds where half or more of the occupants are permanent residents, and the camp's management has let the campground slide into a "distressed neighborhood" (all the bad stuff they say about trailer parks). On the other hand, some are very nicely maintained - and owners who reside there permanently are required to keep their trailers in good repair and their lots clear and well maintained.

I know that I'll reach the end of my wandering years within the next 10 years, and I very well might decide to settle in the southwest at an Airstream park BUT it will be a carefully thought out choice and I'll get involved in board meetings, etc. to keep the park in a well maintained state.

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Just wondering....Don't some of these parks allow the campsite owner to leave their space open at times and it's rented short term to campers passing through? Maybe it helps defray the cost of ownership or maintenance. I see that if a site is open at Highland, an As owner might be able to camp there for a few days. Am I right on this? I do know some folks who have a campsite in Florida but come north to WV for the summer.

Just wondering....Don't some of these parks allow the campsite owner to leave their space open at times and it's rented short term to campers passing through? Maybe it helps defray the cost of ownership or maintenance. I see that if a site is open at Highland, an As owner might be able to camp there for a few days. Am I right on this? I do know some folks who have a campsite in Florida but come north to WV for the summer.

Yes, each owner has his/her site, and if it's open non members with Airstream products can and do rent on a daily or weekly basis, and they even allow rallies to come on. I wouldn't expect to be able to rent a site on a major holiday weekend.

Paula

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